When do i take act sat

This can be helpful if you're worried about finding time to take a test and have a pretty stringent schedule at certain times of year. For example, if you're super busy in the winter and would rather take a test in the spring or early summer, this gives you three SAT dates March, May, and June plus two ACT dates April and June to choose from.

While there are some potential upsides to taking both the SAT and the ACT, there are also some pretty significant drawbacks. This will amount to roughly hours of extra test prep. These hours might be better spent pursuing an activity you're excited about or working on your college essay. The tests are similar, but not the same. As such, trying to prepare for both can end up being very overwhelming if you're the type of person who has trouble juggling a lot of different ideas at once.

Ultimately, for some students, trying to study for both the ACT and the SAT can lead to lower scores than focusing on just one test would. If you do settle on taking just one of the tests, there are four factors you'll want to consider when deciding between them. As I mentioned above, most students score similarly on both tests, but some find one significantly easier than the other.

You might also try taking a practice test of each and comparing your scores —this approach is more accurate but also more of a time commitment. If your school requires you to take one of them, you might benefit from focusing on the required test. What's more, your school might offer free or discounted test-prep resources, ultimately making you more familiar with just one of the two tests.

Though the SAT and ACT have a lot in common these days, they still have a few big differences that you can use to determine which test might be a better fit for your particular strengths. As you can see, if you're not too good at geometry and need more time per question, the SAT will likely be a better fit for your skills.

On the other hand, if you hate doing math without a calculator but love science, the ACT might work better for you. Look at what's on each test and then decide whether one might be a better fit for you. And don't just think about your strengths—consider your weaknesses, too. For example, if you're not good at grid-in math questions, you might have a better shot at getting a high Math score on the ACT than you would on the SAT. The last big factor to consider is which test offers more convenient test dates that work with your schedule.

As I mentioned above, both the SAT and ACT are administered seven times a year excluding school-day testing ; however, these test dates are not the same. As the chart indicates, some months offer both the SAT and ACT while others only offer one or the other note that January is the only month that offers neither test. Ultimately, it's important to consider which test can give you more flexibility and fits better with your schedule. For example, if you have the whole summer to study, you might want to take the SAT since it offers an August test date.

Or, if you have winter to study and want to get the test over with before spring activities start, the February ACT might be an ideal fit. If, after lots of consideration, you still want to take both the ACT and SAT, you'll need to know how to prepare accordingly so that you don't get overwhelmed or make any mistakes on test day.

The most important point is to focus on one test at a time in your prep. This means you shouldn't take both tests in the same month or even in back-to-back months, as doing this can confuse and overwhelm you.

Ideally, you'll take one test and then the other at least three months later. Taking both the ACT and SAT around the same time might sound like a smart idea, but in the end all it's going to do is mix up information in your head and exhaust you.

So take our advice and spread out your dates! Doing this will ultimately end up confusing you, and you'll learn the wrong strategies and content.

The SAT and ACT are not scored on a curve, so the other people taking the test and the test date will have no impact on your score. There is no easiest date to take the tests on, so your best bet is to focus on when to take the SAT or ACT based on what work best for your schedule.

For best results, we recommend the following timelines. You can follow the one for the SAT, the ACT, or combine the two until you identify which test format works best for you. In the summer before your junior year, take a practice SAT to learn your baseline score. This test can be something you administer yourself at home, or you can attend a formal practice test at a prep center Princeton Review offers free, proctored paper-and-pencil practice tests.

Study to take the official SAT for the first time in the fall of your junior year. This usually means an October or November test date. Take the PreACT in your sophomore year to get used to standardized testing. In the summer before your junior year, take a practice ACT to learn your baseline score. Study to take the official ACT for the first time in the fall of your junior year. If your score still needs some work, prepare to take the ACT one final time in the summer before your senior year.

Typically, we recommend finishing up your testing before then just because this time tends to be busy with other college application tasks. Remember that these are just guidelines. It may make sense for you to skip some of these steps or move your timeline around a bit. For example, if you have substantial commitments your junior year, consider taking your exam at the very end of sophomore year.

You are unlikely to see substantial increases in your score after three attempts. The more focused you are during your preparation the first time around, the less likely you are to have to take it a second or third time. Having SAT scores you're proud of by the end of your junior year ensures that you can finalize your college list the summer between junior and senior year with real exam results - not wishful-thinking results - as a firm basis for clear-eyed decisions.

Simply enter your name and email address below to receive my free eBook and I will help you get on the path to higher SAT scores right away. It's a win-win. What's the ultimate goal of SAT testing? In order to achieve this goal, you'll need to: Select the better test for your personal strengths.

This short video will help you do just that. The Golden Rule of Testing Once you're sure you've selected the test that's your better fit, you'll want to follow my Golden Rule of Testing Higher Scores' Golden Rule of Testing Students should prepare for and take two official exams no later than June of their junior year, ideally on back-to-back test dates.

There are 3 keys to success in the Golden Rule: preparation, a reasonable number of testing opportunities, and a streamlined timeline. When should you take the SAT? What level math are you studying? What does your activities calendar look like? What grade are you in? If you've taken Algebra 2 as a freshman or sophomore, you can entertain any test dates that occur once your course is fully complete.

What does your calendar look like? Do you play a fall sport? Are you involved in the spring musical? Do you volunteer on a seasonal basis with a favorite organization? Will you be taking AP or IB exams in the spring? Your ideal testing window shou ld be planned during a downtime in your schedule. Don't forget test prep! W hen planning which SAT test date to take y our first exam on, back up weeks from the actual test date and consider how busy that window of time will be for you because prep takes more time and is more intense than testing itself.

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